Method of fabricating a composite material blade having an integrated metal leading edge for a gas turbine aeroengine

Abstract

A method of fabricating a blade of composite material having an incorporated metal leading edge for a gas turbine aeroengine, the method including in succession placing a metal strip for making the leading edge of a blade in a cavity of an injection mold for making the blade, closing the injection mold, injecting a thermoplastic resin under pressure into the cavity of the mold so as to shape and overmold the metal strip, compacting the assembly, solidifying the resin by regulating the temperature of the injection mold, and unmolding the resulting blade.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of fabricating a blade of composite material having an incorporated metal leading edge for a gas turbine aeroengine, the method comprising in succession:
 placing a metal strip for making the leading edge of a blade in a cavity of an injection mold for making the blade; 
 partially closing the injection mold including the metal strip; 
 injecting a filled thermoplastic resin containing a filler under pressure into the cavity of the partially closed injection mold so as to shape and overmold the metal strip; 
 compressing the partially closed injection mold in order to completely close the injection mold during the injecting of the resin so as to form an assembly; 
 compacting the assembly including the resin and the metal strip; 
 solidifying the resin by regulating the temperature of the injection mold so as to form a resulting blade; and 
 unmolding the resulting blade, 
 wherein the injecting is performed in a mold cavity being free of a fiber preform such that the mold cavity contains only the metal strip, and 
 wherein in the resulting blade, the metal strip is overmolded on the composite material blade such that the resin covers an outer surface of the metal strip, and the resin presents a final shape of the resulting blade on pressure side and suction side surfaces of the resulting blade at a leading edge portion of the resulting blade. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising molding the blade simultaneously with molding at least one platform of the blade. 
     
     
       3. The use of the method according to  claim 1  for fabricating a fan blade, an outlet guide vane, an inlet guide vane, or a variable stator vane. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection mold is completely filled with resin prior to the compressing. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection mold is partially filled with resin prior to the compressing.